I’ve decided to start updating my blog here on my web page with more personal posts- opinions and what not. The first one up is something that is really sticking in my craw.
Yesterday it was announced that Blake Shelton was chosen as People magazines Sexiest Man Alive for 2017 and the blowback on that has been really extreme.
Before I go on – in the interest of full transparency – I admit that there have been sexiest picks I haven’t agreed with. I’m sure I said something like not my choice or does nothing for me. I hope I didn’t say anything publicly (meaning a status) but honestly I have no idea. If I did, I wish I hadn’t because its no different than talking smack in a crowded room about so and so being fat or ugly.
Anyway. Back to Blake.
The reaction to him being chosen is cringe-worthy enough that I find myself feeling uncomfortable it. He’s being ridiculed in a way that is gross to watch. It’s crazy to me that people are going out of their way to post up about how “ugly” he is all over Facebook and Twitter.
I keep asking myself why people feel the need to say such petty things so publicly. I wonder if people feel good about trashing him. I wonder if they realize that there’s no way this isn’t hurting his feelings. More than that, I wonder if they care.
Then I wonder why they care about who People says the “sexiest” man alive is. It’s different for all of us. Maybe you think the sexiest man alive is Idris Elba, Tom Hanks, Chris Pratt or one of the Ryan’s. (Reynolds/Gosling) Or maybe the sexiest man alive in your opinion is your mechanic, your pharmacist, your co-worker or your boyfriend/husband. Whatever YOUR opinion is, it belongs to you.
There’s a way to have an opinion without being rude. I personally may not think Blake is the sexiest man alive- but that doesn’t give me the right to say he’s “ugly” or “old” and any of the other far more over the top descriptives I’ve seen since yesterday. Would you want someone going online and saying that about you? Your husband? Your friends? Your sister? Your children? I’ve already seen the counter argument that its okay to talk crap because he’s a celebrity. That’s no different than asking a rape victim what he/she was wearing. Being famous doesn’t mean he’s asking for- or deserves- attacks.
It’s sad that people are obsessed with judging physical appearance. It’s worse that social media makes it so easy for people to spout off in ways they never would if they were in front of a camera or standing in front of the person they’re so busy ripping apart.